By grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone
We breathe culture. We do because society’s norms are all around us. Culture codifies acceptable conduct. And therein lies the problem. Culture is dictated by what man thinks. Therefore, we must be careful. The question becomes, “Are we breathing in man’s wisdom and norms, shaping how we act and think, which often runs counter to […]
Church Family, In Deuteronomy 29, Moses is renewing the terms of God’s relationship with his people. Why is it being renewed? The reason being that now at the end of their 40-year wilderness wandering, everyone over the age of 20 when they departed Egypt had died. The children of the Exodus were now middle-aged, between […]
Most of us haven’t had to choose between God and Caesar—at least not yet. Times are changing like the seasons, however. Secularism is on the march. If religious freedom was an apple, government has been taking quite a few bites from it lately. Case in point, Georgia. The state legislature passed a bill this week […]
My blog is a letter I sent this week to Bob Ecklund, President and CEO of the Pierce and Kitsap County YMCA. In addition, I sent the letter to each of the YMCA’s Board of Directors–ten of them. It concerns the “Y’s” recent decision that members are free to access whatever bathroom/locker room facility based […]
We were finally at the front of the serpentine line. Once there, we knew the drill. Jacket, belt, and shoes in the bin; cell phone, wallet, and loose change followed. I proudly removed all my liquid toiletries, slipped neatly into a clear gallon sized zip-lock bag. I say proudly because this was the first time […]
It’s not hard to hurl rocks at culture right now. They have given us lots of targets. The latest being the Supreme Court ruling redefining marriage. Just as elections have consequences (Obama’s two Supreme Court appointees that pushed the court further left), worldviews also have consequences. We are watching a culture in freefall because its […]
I went looking for Ina. We’d never met. I was visiting her at the request of an old friend. Ina is dying, serving out her last days at a local convalescent home. She was in room #221. When I walked in, there were two beds separated by a curtain. I asked the first lady, “Are […]
Many appreciate the four seasons—distinct times when the calendar gives way to different weather. The seasons offer different opportunities and blessings. Fall is football and changing leaves. Winter is Christmas and snow. Spring is Easter, flowers, and the promise of warmer weather. Summer is sunshine and BBQ’s. Seasons can disappoint, too. We have expectations. Spring […]
Hats do more than cover up an old man’s bald spot or conceal a woman’s bad hair day. They can designate responsibility. State patrol officers wear a good-sized brimmed hat. I suspect it is this way so the rain doesn’t get in their eyes when they’re writing us a speeding ticket. What I do know […]
“In Matthew 25, Jesus tells three parables: The Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Parable of the Talents, and the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. The Ten Virgins parable ends this way: ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you’ (vv. 11-12). The […]
A front page article from this week’s newspaper concerned released sex offenders in our community. As I recall, there are somewhere around 2,500 in our county. They have to register and inform law enforcement where they live. The article exposed the fact that only three detectives are assigned oversight of these individuals. Do the math. […]
As parents, there are times we must discipline our children. The Scriptures speak to this often, especially in the Proverbs (Prov. 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15, and 29:17). Undisciplined children don’t bring much joy to anyone and will find it difficult to navigate life even when older. A faithful parent disciplines directly. That is, he uses […]